Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs is a top-level federal agency
of the Federal Republic of Germany
headed by the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs as a member of the Cabinet of Germany
(Bundesregierung). Its first location is on Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin
, the second in Bonn
.
was established on 13 February 1919 as the successor of the Labour Office (Reichsarbeitsamt) of the German Empire
. The Social Democratic
politician Gustav Bauer
became the first Minister for Labour under Chancellor Philipp Scheidemann
, whom he succeeded on June 21 of the same year. On the day of the Machtergreifung
in January 1933, the German National
politician and Stahlhelm
leader Franz Seldte
was appointed Minster for Labour in the Cabinet Hitler, a position he officially held until 1945, though without actual power.
The West German
Ministry for Labour was re-established in Bonn
on 20 September 1949 with the Cabinet Adenauer I
. According to the 1991 Berlin/Bonn Act
it moved to its present seat in Berlin-Mitte
in 2000, on premises formerly used by Goebbels' Propaganda Ministry
and the East German National Front
organisation.
During the Cabinet Schröder II
from 2002 to 2005, the ministry had been dissolved and its responsibilities allocated to the Federal Ministry for Economics and Labour
and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Security
. Responsibilities were re-allocated once again when a new government was formed under Chancellor Angela Merkel
following the Bundestag elections of 2005
. The German name was changed from Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Sozialordnung to Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales.
and Franz Thönnes.
The Secretaries of State are Detlef Scheele, Franz-Josef Lersch-Mense and Kajo Wasserhövel.
Federal agency (Germany)
Federal agencies in Germany are established to assist the country's executive branch on the federal level according to of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany...
of the Federal Republic of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
headed by the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs as a member of the Cabinet of Germany
Cabinet of Germany
The Cabinet of Germany is the chief executive body of the Federal Republic of Germany. It consists of the Chancellor and the cabinet ministers. The fundamentals of the cabinet's organization are set down in articles 62 to 69 of the Basic Law.-Nomination:...
(Bundesregierung). Its first location is on Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, the second in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
.
History
The Reich Ministry of Labour of the Weimar RepublicWeimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
was established on 13 February 1919 as the successor of the Labour Office (Reichsarbeitsamt) of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. The Social Democratic
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
politician Gustav Bauer
Gustav Bauer
' was a German Social Democratic Party leader and Chancellor of Germany from 1919 to 1920.Born in Darkehmen near Königsberg in East Prussia, Bauer, who rose to notice through his leadership of a white-collar trade union, served from 1908 to 1918 as chairman of the General Commission of Trade...
became the first Minister for Labour under Chancellor Philipp Scheidemann
Philipp Scheidemann
Philipp Scheidemann was a German Social Democratic politician, who proclaimed the Republic on 9 November 1918, and who became the second Chancellor of the Weimar Republic....
, whom he succeeded on June 21 of the same year. On the day of the Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
in January 1933, the German National
German National People's Party
The German National People's Party was a national conservative party in Germany during the time of the Weimar Republic. Before the rise of the NSDAP it was the main nationalist party in Weimar Germany composed of nationalists, reactionary monarchists, völkisch, and antisemitic elements, and...
politician and Stahlhelm
Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten
The Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten also known in short form as Der Stahlhelm was one of the many paramilitary organizations that arose after the defeat of World War I in the Weimar Republic...
leader Franz Seldte
Franz Seldte
Franz Seldte was cofounder of the German Stahlhelm paramilitary organization, a Nazi politician, and Minister for Labour of the German Reich from 1933 to 1945.-Life:...
was appointed Minster for Labour in the Cabinet Hitler, a position he officially held until 1945, though without actual power.
The West German
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
Ministry for Labour was re-established in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
on 20 September 1949 with the Cabinet Adenauer I
Cabinet Adenauer I
The first cabinet led by Konrad Adenauer was sworn in on September 20, 1949 and laid down its function on October 20, 1953.The cabinet was formed after the 1949 elections. It laid down its function after the formation of the Cabinet Adenauer II, which was formed following the 1953 elections....
. According to the 1991 Berlin/Bonn Act
Berlin/Bonn Act
The Berlin/Bonn Act regulated the move of the German Bundestag and parts of the government from Bonn to Berlin. It also regulated the move of certain Federal agencies and other federal facilities to Bonn. The act was a consequence of the Hauptstadtbeschluss of June 20, 1991 which made Berlin the...
it moved to its present seat in Berlin-Mitte
Mitte (locality)
Mitte is a central locality of Berlin in the homonymous district of Mitte. Until 2001 it was itself an autonomous district....
in 2000, on premises formerly used by Goebbels' Propaganda Ministry
Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
The Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda was Nazi Germany's ministry that enforced Nazi Party ideology in Germany and regulated its culture and society. Founded on March 13, 1933, by Adolf Hitler's new National Socialist government, the Ministry was headed by Dr...
and the East German National Front
National Front (East Germany)
The National Front of the German Democratic Republic was an alliance of political parties and mass organisations in East Germany...
organisation.
During the Cabinet Schröder II
Cabinet Schröder II
The second cabinet led by Gerhard Schröder was sworn in on October 22, 2002 and laid down its function on October 18, 2005. The cabinet was formed after the 2002 elections. It laid down its function after the formation of the first Cabinet of Angela Merkel, which was formed following the 2005...
from 2002 to 2005, the ministry had been dissolved and its responsibilities allocated to the Federal Ministry for Economics and Labour
Federal Ministry for Economics and Labour (Germany)
The Federal Ministry for Economics and Labour was a Ministry of German Federal Government between 2002 and 2005...
and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Security
Federal Ministry of Health (Germany)
The Federal Ministry of Health, is a ministry of the German federal government...
. Responsibilities were re-allocated once again when a new government was formed under Chancellor Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
following the Bundestag elections of 2005
German federal election, 2005
German federal elections took place on 18 September 2005 to elect the members of the 16th German Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany. They became necessary after a motion of confidence in Chancellor Gerhard Schröder failed on 1 July...
. The German name was changed from Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Sozialordnung to Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales.
Reich Ministers for Labour
- Gustav BauerGustav Bauer' was a German Social Democratic Party leader and Chancellor of Germany from 1919 to 1920.Born in Darkehmen near Königsberg in East Prussia, Bauer, who rose to notice through his leadership of a white-collar trade union, served from 1908 to 1918 as chairman of the General Commission of Trade...
(SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 1919 - Alexander Schlicke (SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 1919–1920 - Heinrich Brauns (CentreCentre Party (Germany)The German Centre Party was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich and the Weimar Republic. Formed in 1870, it battled the Kulturkampf which the Prussian government launched to reduce the power of the Catholic Church...
), 1920–1928 - Rudolf WissellRudolf WissellRudolf Wissell was a German politician in the Social Democratic Party of Germany . During the Weimar Republic, he held office as the Minister for Economics and the Minister for Labour.Wissell was a member of the SPD from 1888, and belonged to the right wing of the party...
(SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 1928–1930 - Adam StegerwaldAdam StegerwaldAdam Stegerwald was a German Catholic politician and a leader of the left wing of the Centre Party. He served as Prime Minister of Prussia in 1921, and later as a minister in the national governments of Hermann Müller and Heinrich Brüning...
(CentreCentre Party (Germany)The German Centre Party was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich and the Weimar Republic. Formed in 1870, it battled the Kulturkampf which the Prussian government launched to reduce the power of the Catholic Church...
), 1930–1932 - Hermann Warmbold, 1932
- Hugo Schäffer, 1932
- Friedrich SyrupFriedrich SyrupFriedrich Heinrich Karl Syrup was a German jurist and politician.- Life :Syrup was born in Lüchow in Lüchow-Dannenberg district, Province of Hanover. The postal official's son studied engineering science as well as law and political science...
, 1932–1933 - Franz SeldteFranz SeldteFranz Seldte was cofounder of the German Stahlhelm paramilitary organization, a Nazi politician, and Minister for Labour of the German Reich from 1933 to 1945.-Life:...
(DNVP, NSDAP), 1933–1945
Federal Minister for Labour
- Anton Storch (CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
), 1949–1957
Federal Ministers for Labour and Social Affairs
- Theodor BlankTheodor BlankTheodor Anton Blank was a German politician of the CDU. He was one of the founders of the CDU in 1945....
(CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
), 1957–1965 - Hans Katzer (CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
), 1965–1969 - Walter Arendt (SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 1969–1976 - Herbert EhrenbergHerbert EhrenbergHerbert Ehrenberg is a retired German politician.Ehrenberg was born in Kollnischken, East Prussia and visited school in Goldap until 1943, when he was conscripted to the German Army and became a prisoner of war...
(SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 1976–1982 - Heinz Westphal (SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 1982–1982 - Norbert BlümNorbert BlümNorbert Blüm is a German federal legislator from North Rhine-Westphalia, Chairman of the CDU there , and former minister for labor and social affairs ....
(CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
), 1982–1998 - Walter RiesterWalter RiesterWalter Riester is a German politician of the SPD and former Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.Walter Riester joined the SPD in 1966 and since 1998 he has been a member of the party's federal executive board. From 1993 to 1998 he was deputy chairman of the IG Metall...
(SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 1998–2002
Federal Minister for Economics and Labour
- Wolfgang ClementWolfgang ClementWolfgang Clement is a German politician. Clement was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany . He was Premier of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1998 to 2002 and Federal Minister of Economics and Labour from 2002 to 2005.Wolfgang Clement is an Honorary Member of the...
(SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 2002–2005
Federal Ministers for Labour and Social Affairs from 2005
- Franz MünteferingFranz MünteferingFranz Müntefering is a German politician and industrial manager. He was Chairman of the Social Democratic Party from 18 October 2008 to 13 November 2009, a position he already held from 2004 to 2005...
(SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 2005–2007 - Olaf ScholzOlaf ScholzOlaf Scholz is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and Mayor of Hamburg since 7 March 2011.From May to October 2001 he was Minister of the Interior of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and from 2002 to 2004 he was general secretary of the SPD...
(SPDSocial Democratic Party of GermanyThe Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
), 2007–2009 - Franz Josef JungFranz Josef JungFranz Josef Jung is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union . He became Federal Minister of Defence in the Grand coalition cabinet of Angela Merkel on 22 November 2005...
(CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
), 2009 - Ursula von der LeyenUrsula von der LeyenUrsula Gertrud von der Leyen is a German politician of the conservative Christian Democratic Union.Since 30 November 2009, she has served as the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs in the Second Cabinet Merkel. In the First Cabinet Merkel , she served as Federal Minister of Family...
(CDUChristian Democratic Union (Germany)The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
), from 2009
State secretaries
The Parliamentary Secretary of States are Klaus BrandnerKlaus Brandner
Klaus Brandner is a German politician and member of the SPD.-External links:*...
and Franz Thönnes.
The Secretaries of State are Detlef Scheele, Franz-Josef Lersch-Mense and Kajo Wasserhövel.